1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a trash receptacle. More particularly, the invention relates to a three-part snap together trash receptacle having a base portion designed to store a plurality of trash bags, a body portion designed to store a single trash bag full of trash in such a way as to allow the full bag to be easily removed from the body portion, and a lid portion that seals the body portion closed.
2. Background and Related Art
There are numerous problems associated with standard household trash receptacles that have made trash storage and removal a dreaded task. Perhaps the most frustrating task is attempting to remove a full bag from the receptacle. This is often rather difficult because the trash stored in the bag tends to bulge against the walls of the trash receptacle, thus making it difficult to remove. In addition, as the bag is filled up, air is often trapped between the bag and the receptacle walls. This causes a vacuum effect that makes it even more difficult to remove the full bag. Because a full bag is so difficult to remove, when the bag is pulled straight upward, the entire receptacle often lifts up with the bag rather than the bag lifting out of the receptacle. Therefore, the user must often call on the assistance of another person to hold the receptacle steady, or else the user must squeeze the receptacle between the knees while pulling the bag out.
Another problem with conventional style trash receptacles is that they do not force trash to be compacted within the receptacle. Therefore, when the full bag is removed, the user must attempt to shake the trash further down into the bag and compact it so that the bag may be tied shut.
Yet another drawback is that twist ties or other such fastening means are not provided with the receptacle, thus forcing the user to search for a tie each time a bag is removed. Still further, once the full bag of trash has been removed from the receptacle, the user must also locate a new bag to put in the receptacle.
Unfortunately, even properly positioning a new bag within conventional trash bags is often difficult because the walls of the empty bag tend to cling together in the center of the receptacle rather than fitting against the walls and bottom of the receptacle. This is especially undesirable as the bag begins to be filled, as air becomes trapped between the wall of the container and the bag. This prevents the bag from being completely filled, and makes it difficult to remove the bag from the receptacle once it is filled with trash.
To date, very few solutions have been proposed for remedying these problems associated with trash receptacles. Rather, it seems that more attention has been giving to improving the design of trash bags instead of that of trash receptacles. For instance, one such improvement includes the implementation of an integral pull-tie means around the upper edge of the trash bags so as to allow bags to simply be pulled closed when full rather than forcing the user to search for a fastener. While this and other such improvements may solve some of the above described problems, no prior art trash receptacles have been designed to solve the above described difficulties associated with conventional trash receptacles.
Thus there is a clear need for an improved trash receptacle device that remedies the above described problems. Such a device would contain up to an abundant supply of ties and bags, and would present the bags in a way that automatically dispenses a new bag in place once the full bag is removed. Such a device would also be designed specifically to ensure that the bag fills in a compact manner, and would also make it extremely easy to remove full bags. The present invention provides these and other such advantages as further detailed in the following Summary of the Invention.